The present invention is related to implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy, and more particularly to a system and method for displaying and selecting detection enhancements within a cardioverter defibrillator.
Detection enhancements are used in implantable cardioverter defibrillator therapy to reduce the incidence of inappropriate shocks. In the past, defibrillators were only rate derivative. If the patient""s heart rate crossed over the prescribed rate, a shock was delivered to the heart. Experience showed that the heart could pass through the prescribed rate for a variety of reasons, only some of which warranted shocking the heart. For instance, the heart could beat faster during exercise, or because the person was excited, or even due to atrial arrhythmia. None of these warrant shock therapy.
Detection enhancements are sets of rules for determining when to deliver shock therapy. These rules may, for instance, look not only at the change in rate but also at the source of the arrhythmia, at the suddenness of onset or at the stability of the heart beat.
In the past, detection enhancements were treated as separate items on a laundry list of possible detection enhancements. The language used to describe the features was often a reflection of the programming code used to implement the features. Such an approach was confusing to physicians. As a result, physicians either ignored the enhancements or struggled with programming the detection enhancements into the patient""s defibrillator.
What is needed is a system and method for displaying and selecting detection enhancements within a cardioverter defibrillator which addresses these deficiencies.
According to one aspect of the present invention, a system and method of enabling detection enhancements selected from a plurality of detection enhancements is described. In a system having a plurality of clinical rhythms, including a first clinical rhythm, where each of the detection enhancements is associated with the clinical rhythms, the first clinical rhythm is selected. The first clinical rhythm is associated with first and second detection enhancements. When the first clinical rhythm is selected, parameters of the first and second detection enhancements are set automatically. A determination is made as to whether changes are to be made to the parameters. If so, one or more of the parameters are modified under user control.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a system and method of programming one or more detection enhancements into a defibrillator is described. In a system having a plurality of clinical rhythms, including a first clinical rhythm, where each of the detection enhancements is associated with the clinical rhythms, the first clinical rhythm is selected. The first clinical rhythm is associated with first and second detection enhancements. When the first clinical rhythm is selected, parameters of the first and second detection enhancements are set automatically. A determination is made as to whether changes are to be made to the parameters. If so, one or more of the parameters are modified under user control. The defibrillator is then programmed to perform the first and second detection enhancements as a function of the parameters.